As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew.
They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”
At once they left their nets and followed him.
Matthew 4:18–20
—
In Matthew 4, we read a story where everything changed for two men—two fishermen—named Peter and Andrew. But more than just a story of change for the two men, it is a story that would eventually change the entire world.
Peter, after all, would go on to become the rock upon which Jesus built His church. It is a profoundly important story for them—and for us.
The men were going about their daily work, casting nets into the Sea of Galilee, when Jesus interrupted their routine as He walked by. His invitation to them was short as it is recorded: “Come, follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people.” And immediately they left their nets.
I don’t want to read too far between the lines, but I can’t help but assume Peter and Andrew immediately understood Jesus was inviting them to a radical change in their lives.
I doubt they knew exactly what “fishing for people” would look like, but they must have realized it meant stepping into a completely new life—different from the one they lived now.
I don’t know if you’re feeling like you would like a change in your life, but if you are, you might resonate with the idea that Jesus invites us to something new, something bigger, and something better than the world has to offer.
If that idea resonates with you, it is important to take note of one very significant word in this story: follow.
Read the verse again: “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”
In other words, if they were going to experience real change, it required one crucial decision: to follow Jesus.
Jesus didn’t tell the gentlemen that their lives would change simply because they met Him, or because they knew who He was, or because they read His words, or even because they meditated on His promises.
No, Jesus said their lives would change for the better once they followed Him.
What does it look like to follow Jesus with our lives? It looks like trusting Him with our plans. It looks like living with integrity according to His design in a world that has rejected it. It looks like serving and giving and living with humility where we consider others better than ourselves. And it looks like seeking His presence in prayer and letting His Word to guide your choices.
If we want God to change our lives, it is not enough to simply know about Jesus or go to church or have a friend or family member with a strong faith. The requirement for us to experience all that Christ wants to do in our lives is that we commit to following Him fully.
That is the invitation extended to Peter and Andrew. And that is the invitation He extends to us today: “Come, follow me.” And when we do, everything changes—and always for the better.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the invitation and opportunity to You through Jesus’s death on the cross. Help me to take that step today and trust You with my life. Lead me into the new life You have planned for me, and transform me as I follow You. Amen.